I was well caught.  I had nothing further to say.  And moreover, such freedom of spirit and manner had already captivated me.

“It seems,” said my comrades, when the time for aperitives had brought us all together again, “that this Captain of yours is a remarkably charming fellow.”

“Remarkably.”

“You surely can’t have any trouble with him.  It is only up to you to see that later on he doesn’t get all the glory.”

“We aren’t working with the same end in view,” I answered evasively.

I was thoughtful, only thoughtful I give you my word.  From that moment I harbored no further grudge against Morhange.  Yet my silence persuaded him that I was unforgiving.  And everyone, do you hear me, everyone said later on, when suspicions became rife: 

“He is surely guilty.  We saw them go off together.  We can affirm it.”

I am guilty....  But for a low motive of jealousy....  How sickening....

After that, there was nothing to do but to flee, flee, as far as the places where there are no more men who think and reason.

Morhange, appeared, his arm resting on the Major’s, who was beaming over this new acquaintanceship.

He presented him enthusiastically: 

“Captain Morhange, gentlemen.  An officer of the old school, and a man after our own hearts, I give you my word.  He wants to leave tomorrow, but we must give him such a reception that he will forget that idea before two days are up.  Come, Captain, you have at least eight days to give us.”

“I am at the disposition of Lieutenant de Saint-Avit,” replied Morhange, with a quiet smile.

The conversation became general.  The sound of glasses and laughter rang out.  I heard my comrades in ecstasies over the stories that the newcomer poured out with never-failing humor.  And I, never, never have I felt so sad.

The time came to pass into the dining-room.

“At my right, Captain,” cried the Major, more and more beaming.  “And I hope you will keep on giving us these new lines on Paris.  We are not up with the times here, you know.”

“Yours to command, Major,” said Morhange.

“Be seated, gentlemen.”

The officers obeyed, with a joyous clatter of moving chairs.  I had not taken my eyes off Morhange, who was still standing.

“Major, gentlemen, you will allow me,” he said.

And before sitting down at that table, where every moment he was the life of the party, in a low voice, with his eyes closed, Captain Morhange recited the Benedicite.

IV

TOWARDS LATITUDE 25

“You see,” said Captain Morhange to me fifteen days later, “you are much better informed about the ancient routes through the Sahara than you have been willing to let me suppose, since you know of the existence of the two Tadekkas.  But the one of which you have just spoken is the Tadekka of Ibn-Batoutah, located by this historian seventy days from Touat, and placed by Schirmer, very plausibly, in the unexplored territory of the Aouelimmiden.  This is the Tadekka by which the Sonrhai caravans passed every year, travelling by Egypt.